I’m in a retro-80’s flashback mood this morning and I’m blaming it on the TV. Ever since local stations underwent the big digital conversion back in June, we’ve been getting “extra” channels that seem to exist for the sole purpose of re-running ‘80s TV shows. Lately, the Farmer and I have been watching “M*A*S*H” and “Airwolf” and God help me, I love them. I rarely watch any “new” programs but just let them start running a show that was on 25 years ago and I’m there.
I am totally a child of the 80s, graduated high school in ‘84 and college in ‘88. Had big hair and legwarmers, wore polo shirts with the collar up, Calvin Klein jeans, Benetton sweaters and a Swatch watch. (It was all about the label!)
Saw Bon Jovi, ZZ Top and .38 Special in concert. Had a Rubik’s cube that I never figured out and excelled at Trivial Pursuit (to this day, my mind is full of totally useless, random knowledge.) Saw the space shuttle Challenger blow up on live TV. Watched “Miami Vice” and “Magnum, PI.” Wondered who shot JR. Danced to Air Supply at the prom. Loved Bob and Doug Mackenzie, eh?
Saw the debut of MTV. Watched Diana Spencer marry Prince Charles and become the Princess of Wales. Got my hair cut like the Princess of Wales. Saw “The Empire Strikes Back.” Gasped in shock when Darth Vader said, “Luke, I am your father.” Watched “Return of the Jedi.” Saw “Indiana Jones” and “Witness.” Fell in love with Harrison Ford. Had a pet rock. Played Pac Man. Knew what Michael Jackson looked like before his nose fell off.
Read “Cujo” and “Pet Sematary” by Steven King and “Valley of Horses” and “Mammoth Hunters” by Jean Auel. Drank Coke. Drank New Coke. Drank Classic Coke. Ate oat bran muffins because they were good for your heart. (My father had a heart attack anyway.) Ate Jell-O pudding pops, Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn and drank Snapple. Learned to fix things with duct tape and dental floss, just like MacGyver. MacGyver was better at it than I was.
Saw “Risky Business” and “Top Gun.” Fell in love with Tom Cruise (gave him up later when he got weird.) Wore acid washed jeans and every shirt in my closet had huge shoulder pads. Cheered for the U.S. hockey team when they beat Russia to win Olympic gold. Watched Haley’s Comet (pretty sure I won’t be here the next time it comes around). Bought a Walkman to play my Def Lepard cassettes. Went to Iowa State and drank something new called wine coolers. Drank a lot of wine coolers. Probably shouldn’t go there.
Oh, make it stop! What else was I doing back then? Graduated college, got my first car (Ford Mustang), first job (same one I have today, although it’s changed just a little) and first apartment (how cool was that, living totally on my own). Got my first sheltie, Jess. Joined the Iowa City Shetland Sheepdog Club. Met the Farmer. The rest is history. I’m going to go watch “Airwolf” now.
Wow - talk about memories except what I'm remembering is watching my nieces do those things! Yikes. I did eat the pudding pops though and know what most of the rest of it is. Now go back another 15-20 years - oh wait, you can't. DANG!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI graduated from highschool in 1982 and I remember those same things. Last weekend our local city park showed a movie on one of those big blow up outdoor screens. It made me think of the drive-in movies I saw as a teenager. (My two 16 year olds did not know what a drive in movie was. Times have changed.) The movie was Back to the Future. Oh my gosh, Michael J Fox looked so young. The movie made me realize how many things in day to day life had changed since 1985. The movie also made me feel really old. While I know I am 45, I don't feel any older than 25 or 30. Guess I cannot call myself a young adult anymore!!!!
ReplyDeleteWOW - once I get out of this time machine, I'm going to sit down in front of the TV will my big hair, watch MacGyver (he was so cool!), wear my leg warmers and eat a box of pudding pops (chocolate, of course)! Thanks for the trip!
ReplyDeleteI'm too old...I don't remember any of that stuff. G You forgot - General Hospital and Paper Dolls. The series, not the cut outs. I never did get into Dallas, I'm not sure why?
ReplyDeleteI *loved* Airwolf and bought the first season on DVD...
ReplyDeleteThank doG I'm not the ONLY crazy person out there! I may have to get the DVDs, too, just for old times sake. Does anyone else remember Airwolf? The "original" with Jan-Michael Vincent and Ernest Borgnine, not the one that came later with an entirely different cast?
ReplyDeleteNope, don't remember it. Hum...maybe I'm too YOUNG!!!! LOL
ReplyDeleteYep, I remember Airwolf. And Love Boat. Saturday night was a good time to stay in and watch TV.
ReplyDeleteYou know, you can watch Airwolf episodes in order, or just the ones you missed, on this site:
www.airwolf.tv
Brings it all back! Now to find an old tape with The Smurfs...
That's great! There goes what's left of my "free" time. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOK, I graduated high school in 1991 and I still remember all this stuff and consider myself a child of the 80's (NOT 90's!). LOVE Airwolf! My dad and I (back in the days when parents watched TV with their children) watched it every week. I also watched Dallas every week (and Falcon Crest!) with my mother. Probably explains why I'm so warped. I liked the Smurfs only for their use of Schubert's Unfinished Symphony as a theme song (I was a music geek pretty early). Love Trivia Pursuit! I was 10 yrs old when it came out and my friend next door had it (she was 10 too). Her mother was in law school and brought all her friends over to play the new game. Of course the 10 yr olds wanted in on the action. They let us play assuming we would give up early. HA! They were not smarter than a 5th grader! We got to the middle first and the question they picked was "What was the name of Sgt Preston's dog?". I didn't even hesitate, "Yukon King" I yelled. The law students never came over again after that. We've got to play Trivia Pursuit on the next camping trip!
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